Toy gear box



A. c. GILBERT TOY GEAR BOX Filed Feb. 25, 1921 7' z Sheets-$heet 1 Feb.v 17'. 1925.

A. C. GILBERT TOY GEAR BOX 2 sheets sheet 2 Filed Feb. 25, l92l Patented Feb. 17, 1925.

ALFRED o. GILBERT, or v consent, or

NEW HAVI EN, CONNEC'IIGUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE A. C. GILBERT NEW HAVEN, GONNEGTICUT.

TOY GEAR EOE.

Application filed Fcbruaryfifi, 1921. Serial No. 147,820.

To all whom it may concern:

Be itknown that I, ALFRED C. GILBERT,.

a citizen of the United States, residing in New Haven, county of New Haven, and State of Connecticut have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Toy Gear Boxes, of which the following is a full, clear and exact description.

This invention relates to toy gear boxes and more particularly to a frame construe tion such as is shown in my Patent No. 1219352, adapted to be used in connection with toy motors or the like to support the shafts and gearing in operative driving relation to each other and to the driving gear upon the motor shaft. The gear box may also. be constructed to removably support a switch and other accessories useful in. connection with the operation of a toy motor and associated mechanical devices operated thereby.

One object of the invention is to provide a toy, gear box with side plates of such novel construction that a plurality of shafts may be adjustably supported. by the plates in operative relation to each other and to the motor used in connection therewith.

A further object of the invention is the provision of means whereby the gear shafts may be supported for sliding adjustment so that very fine adjustments of shafts may be made to prevent eitherthe binding of the gears when the shafts are tooclose or loose fitting of the gears when.the shafts are too far apart.

A still further object oi the invention is to provide a gearbox in which gear shafts may be adjustably supported, and cooperating" means which will enable the shafts to be adjusted without the necessity of removing them from their bearings.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a toy gear box embodying the principles of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a side view of the same;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the structure shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of Fig; 2;

Fl. 5 is a View similar to Fig. 2, but showing the gear box and motor attached to a motor base;

Fig. 6 is a sectional on line 4 4.-

view on line 6-6 of Fig. 5 showing the construction of the motor base; and

Fig. 7 is a detail view of one of the bearing straps used with the side plate of the gear box.

The gear box constructed in accordance with the principles of my invention preferably consists of the two side plates 10 and 11 which are substantially identical, so that it will be necessary to describe only one of these plates. The'plate at 10, example. consists ot a main body plate 12. substantially rectanm ar in shape, which is provided with two ide flanges 13 and 14, and a bottom flange 15, which extend substantially at right angles to the plane of the body plate l'2. The flanges 13. 14 and 15 may be provided with 14 and 15, the purpose of which will be hereinafter described.

'10 suitably support the various shafts in the side plates of the gear box, the same are provided with a plurality of elongated slots 16, as shown more especially in Figs. 2, 4 and 5. As shown. these slots are sub stantially parallel with each other and extend generally longitudinally of the side plates of the gear box. but the arrangement and number of the slots may be varied without departing from the principles or" the invention. The plates are shown provided with five oi the slots 16, which I have found to be a convenient number to provide a proper spacing of the same without weakening the side plates to any material degree. The slots are preferably arranged in the same way in each of the plates, so that when the gear box is made up by mounting the two plates in opposed relation to each other, the slots will be disposed in alignment with each other.

To cooperate with the slots and form bearings for the shafts, I hearing straps 17, which, as 4: and are adapted to be applied to the plates 12 and 13. so that they extend generally transversely of the slots 16. -'lhese straps are in turn slotted. as shown at 18, which slots may extcnd almost the entire length oi? the bearing strap but preferably the straps are provided with a plurality of shorter slots, as si own in the drawings. 'lhese slots extend longitudinally of the straps and cooperate with the slots 16, so

for

perforations 13,

have provided the shown in Figs.

pout intersection of the ewe iii form a. shaft hearing. The straps he provided with perforations l9, I operate with certsin'of the i Y. o liirll the length of the strap would the provisitm of such. a perforation sgocdient. than the provision of un- AL} shown in drawings, each is provided with two of the and. 2*, pi foretion 19 disposed Such an arrangement. is found very suitable in cooptu'ation with the 16 in the side plate of the gear Screws 20 are passed through certain shelf. beziiiugs formed by the cross- .ie two slots to secure the straps in When the screws are disposed ut will be securely held against i movemeiu on the plates.

s formed by the straps 17 and "t e side plates 19 and the first of these shafts a pulley on one end and :1 gear 23 upon the. other which is inmesh with a gear 23* u poo cue-end of the shaft 22. The shaft ,rries 1; gear 26 upon its other end which in 'iuesh with a gear '27 secured motor shaft The gears 23, 25, c c provided with gear hubs 29,

he gears and are noni'otutably relative to-the gear-box, the same "are ilcol with the clips 35, which are secured :1 gs are, as shown, preferably mounted on the shaf"s just Within the side-plates end ly'udjacent to the plates so they will the shafts in position. It-is seen that this arrangement,- the gears may be ted in any position upon the shafts. s0 hubs 29 and are not required inst the straps 17 in order to i' ts in position. The gears can rought into-proper "vertical uii'gneach other, so that the teeth will .r; mesh regerdlcss of the disposition r collars.

side plu'tes and 11 may be the frame of :1 motor 36, us vl. The motor lure shown tyue, as shown in my ii to above, so that Qolicwul to be unnecbe said that the tl 0 motor are pro- 1- Y and 0. which 3' rev mlts to the bottom the sit 0 plates. The shl to uh 'n'o is shown us the emit of the two :31? d support contriyuuccs can be driven from .Wo ends 01 the straps 1.7, it is seen thatare shown supported in respectively, which are sc-- on theshafts by set screws 2H.-

vcut. longitudinal movement of the shufts by the set screws These therethrough.

messes 'lutiou. to cool other and to the motor shaft and the reducing gearing which is shown mounted upon the shut'ts '2 and 252 will reduce the speed of the motor so that various the pulley 2A.,

As shown in 5 the gear box and Juotoriuay be suitably mounted, if desired, upon at motor base so. which will ca 'ry the switch bzise'eil, which in Figs. 1 and was shown mounted upon the gear box. The motor connected to the gear box structure, as described in my prior patent, ahovere'lerrcd to, by the bolts 46, which pass through the motor base and through the bottom fiancee upon the side plates. The switch useo in connection with the'structurc shown in Figs. 1 and 5 can he of any preferred construction, forinstzmce. similar to the switches shown in my Patents Nos.

1,307,094,, granted June 17, 1919, aud 1 323,- 045, granted November 25. 1919.

The side plates are also provided with the openings 4;? and 4 8, which aggro in the nature of clearance openings for certain portions of the motor frame and shaft which project 7 It will be obvious from the foregoing description that the gear shafts 21 and 22, when mounted in :iccordzuice with the rim ciples of my invention, will capable of slidingedjustment Within the slots 16. Such adjustment is accomplished by loosening the bolts and sliding either one or both ends of the straps to the desired position in slots and then. securing the bolts in position cg; in by tight the n s thereon. This will provide for a very fine and nice adjustment oi the shafts, so that the gears may be supported in proper relation to each other to prevent un} binding of the :i box comprising spaced side plates, car of: said ch 'es being provided with :1 plurality of suitably elongated gears or to prevent any loosencss of ploy betweenmerino, elois and Side flanges on the plates which the gems may i llOUSQLl,

on article of manufacture, :1 side .ror gear boxes or the like provided 137 bearing slots edep'fied to re- V ed'juetnbly support one end oia e '1 Li and liming edge flanges adapted to 1L V exi'end generally at right angles to the plane oi? the plain.

- plates vided with on elongeeed :1 eioe, sold slots amglie l. to

homing. V

5. A side plate fiorloy gear boxes provided with en elen med slot end a bearing sleep provided vieh. on opening, rigidly eemu'ed to said plate to support,

win-11mg, a shaft extending through said aloe. 1

(l. A eide piote ilor iaoy gear boxes pro ride ll with an elongated slot, and a bearing strap, eiso provided with :1 slot, applied to llze plate to extend generally transversely iilillQO'f, eeid slots intersecting to i'orni a elmifii; bearing.

'12 A. side plate "for my gear boxes; pro 'vided n'ill an elongated elo end 21 hearing strep, oleo pwvideo. with e slot, edjueiiebly applied lo the pieie Eco extend genemil of plates connected thereto, said ease transversely thereof, said slots interswting to 'i'fll'in on adjustable shells bearin 8. A. side plate for toy gear boxes provided with e plurality of parallel slots, :1, bearing: strap provided with a plurality of slote adopted to be applied thereto with the slots of one member intersecting those of the other member, and fastening mearne passing through certain of said intersections to detnchably interconnect said members, certain other intersections forming shaft bearings.

9. The eom binetlon with a toy motor of gear box side plates demelmnly applied to opposite sides of the motor and a shaft journolled in said side plates, said journals being capable of sliding adjustment.

10. The combination with a toy motor of a gear box having side members deteolmbly applied to opposite sides of the motor, said members being provided with parallel elongated slots for the purpose described.

11. The combination with a toy motor of f;rensn'liseion mechanism, including separate side plefies deteolxably secured to the motor and provided with elongated parallel slots.

12, The eombinetion with a toy eleetrio motor having frame oi: a gear box comprising side plates deteolmbly applied to the opposite of" the frame suid pletes being provided wioh elongated slots and ineone for elidobly journalling e shnit in said sic-11s in. wiiness whereof have iiereunio eoi'; my bend on the 18th dey of ebruory I921.

' Al'JEELED G. G-l-ILBERT. 

